The invention relates generally to seating. In particular, the present invention relates to seating, such as chairs and other support structures. The invention relates to a piece of furniture to replace or compliment a traditional sit down chair and/or sit down workstation.
Seating is very well known in the prior art. Seating is, traditionally, of the configuration and arrangement where the user “sits down.” For example, a bench, chair or sofa employs this common configuration.
However, many people find that the traditional “sitting down” position assumed when using typical office seating has, over time, a detrimental impact on the physical body. The result of this constant sedentary position, that does not encourage or allow for a great deal of physical movement, has recently come to be known as “sitting disease.” Remaining in this traditional sitting position over extended periods of time day after day has been proven, based on a 2010 study by the American Cancer Society and published in the American Journal of Epidemiology, to have the effect of potentially shortening one's life. The study shows that an individual is up to 71% (men and women combined) more likely to die younger if s/he were inactive and sat over 6 hours per work day.
There have been many attempts in the prior art to address the shortcomings of prior art seating of the “sitting down” position. For example, below are a number of prior art chairs that seek to address these shortcomings. However, as will be described below, these seating devices fail to adequately meet the needs of the user to avoid “sitting disease.”
For example, as in FIGS. 1a-d, U.S. Pat. Nos. 7,367,623 and 6,644,748, sold by Health Postures Inc. under the brand “Stance Chair” provide seating that attempts to avoid the “sitting down” position. While it is more of a traditional chair (albeit rather cumbersome looking) that converts to an upright leaning chair, it does not support the pelvis and sitz bones in the same way as this new invention. While it does allow the user to choose between a leaning and sitting posture both positions are very static and freedom of movement while working is not enhanced. This is problematic when it is used for extended periods of time. The seat of the Stance Chair is simply a traditional flat cushion seat that is raised and tilted at an angle when in the leaning position. This prior art seat fails to include a more desirable and comfortable contoured “tractor” or “saddle” seat design that allows for more of a perching position. While there are a number of other “leaning devices” in the prior art, none of them, except the Stance Chair of FIG. 1, have a footrest connected by a baseplate incorporated into their design.
Turning now to FIG. 2, another prior art sitting device is shown. FIG. 2 illustrates a sitting device from Muvman (Aeris-Impulsmobel Gmbh & Co.) of Germany. This device is a leaning seat has an innovative and patented “movement encouraging” connection 68 between the baseplate 62 and seat support 66 that is referred to as the “Flexzone”. Connection 68 is a simple ball and socket joint. The seat support 66 is connected to the baseplate 62 by a post that can move between a seated position 64A and a standing position 64B as a user moves from a seated position 60A to a standing position 60B. However, this sitting device is devoid of a connected footrest.
The foregoing prior art sitting devices fail to adequately address the shortcomings of the prior art. As a result, there is a need for a seat with which one can assume a more healthful and active work posture. There is a desire for a an upright “neutral posture” that promotes active-sitting and active-working while still maintaining the needed feeling of stability and security. There is a need for a leaning/sitting platform that can be easily adjusted to fit an individual's height and preferred leaning/sitting angle. There is a further need for an improved joint connection of the post of a seat. There is a need for length, angle and height adjustment. There is a need for an angled footrest that can provide a force that opposes the force generated by the tendency for the feet (while the body is in the leaning posture) to slide forward, away from the seat location.